Ch 9 – It Just So Happened To Be An Election Year

Here is a teaser from Ch 9 – It Just So Happened To Be An Election Year of my book The Millennial Pastor:

It was an election year… blah….

There are few things I dislike more than hearing one person belittle another over some sort of human-made label, some fabricated title that tells us we must be opposed in life. Few things frustrate me more than hearing supporters of a party spew hatred toward supporters of the other party. Few things can undermine the effectiveness of the church’s ministry like polarizing politics, especially if it ever came from the pulpit.

Well, at this church it didn’t… it couldn’t.

If there was a perfect storm, the perfect situation for a church to implode under the leadership of a young and inexperienced lead pastor, it was this year’s focal point. I am aware that in my church I had supporters of both of the two main candidates, as well as for a variety of third-party options. To claim allegiance to one would alienate the others. Pastoring 101 would say steer clear. If there was such a thing as Pastoring 101, that is.

I’ve heard a load of preachers share political views. It always bothered me. Made sense though, as pastors tend to be the ones sought out for advice. I wasn’t sure that would be the case with me though, since advice is sought from those who are wise, and I don’t always feel very wise.

That’s not to say it didn’t come up because it did, far, far too often. All I heard for months was Hillary this and Trump that. After each debate, each headline, each whatever, there would be more statements made, more questions asked.

Millennials classically don’t show up to vote. They tend to be apathetic. It’s easier to be apathetic than to care. Caring means you’re invested and may have to say something. The apathetic millennial in me was at war with the lead pastor in me who had to actually care who did actually care. The struggle is this though, you can’t always really say what you’re thinking when you’re a pastor since someone will take it wrong, be offended or flat out not like you because of it.

There you have it. If you haven’t already, be sure to read my last post called The Politics of God and be sure to stay tuned as we will hear from more millennial pastors later on in the week.